Valve assembly



April 1, 1941. E. M. STANBERY 2.237.013

I VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Inventor:

Elwood M. Sta bery I W5.

. y I His Attorney.

E. M. STANBERY VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed 061;. 20, 1938 I Ap 1, 1941.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4.

Inventor- Elwc aod Mstanbery, b 7% y Hi 6. Attorney Patented Apr. 1,1941 VALVE ASSEMBLY Elwood M. Stanbery, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignmtoGeneral Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application October20, 1938, Serial No. 236,125 6 Claims. (01. 137-153) My inventionrelates to valve assemblies for refrigerant compressors or the like.

It is an object of my invention to provide a valve assembly forrefrigerant compressors or the like which is rugged in construction andefficient in operation.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, of the end of a compressor cylinder provided with a valveassembly embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view, partlycut away, of the valve assembly shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sideelevation, partly in section, of the end of a compressor cylinderprovided with a valve assembly embodying a modification of the valveassembly shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken alongthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3. The same numerals refer to corresponding partsin the various figures.

In accordance with my invention, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, I haveprovided a pressure and velocity actuated valve comprising a valve diskl which is movably supported on a body such as a valve plate II. In theclosed position of the valve, openings or slots l2 in the valve disk areout of correspondence with the main exhaust ports I3 in the valve plateII. In order to open the valve I utilize an auxiliary discharge passageit through which the compressed fluid passes and acts upon an excited orpilot arm l5 which initiates movement of the valve disk l0. Slightmovement of valve disk HI uncovers a portion of exhaust ports l3 andpermits the compressed fluid to pass through the slight opening betweenthe openings or slots I2 and the exhaust ports l3. A main operatingmember such as an inclined vane I6 is secured to valve disk IG adjacenteach slot 12 in such a way that the exhaust fluid is directed againstthe vanes 16, the force resulting therefrom causing the valve disk IIIto move until openings I! are in complete alignment with exhaust portsl3. The movement of valve disk 10 is opposed by a retaining spring Ila,the spring serving to return the valve disk II! to its closed positionwhen the flow of exhaust fluid diminishes sufficiently to permitsubstantial equalization of pressure on the two sides of the valve platell.

Describing the apparatus including my inven tion in greater detail, withparticular reference to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a refrigerantcompressor cylinder 18 provided with a longitudinal cylindrical bore ISin which a cylindrical piston 20 is reciprocated by any suitable drivingarrangement. The open end of the cylinder I8 is closed by a valveassembly embodying my invention. The valve assembly includes a valveplate ll made of steel or the like. The valve plate II is provided withan inlet passage 2| and a series of exhaust passages l3 extendingtherethrough. The discharge or exhaust passages communicate with anexhaust manifold 22 contained within a cylinder head 23. The cylinderhead 23 and valve plate II are securely fastened to the cylinder l8 bymeans of a plurality of bolts 24, gaskets 25 being clamped between thecylinder l8 and valve plate II and between valve plate H and cylinderhead 23, respectively, in order to insure fluid-tight joints between therespective parts of the apparatus.

An intake valve 26 is secured to the under side of valve plate II bymeans of a bolt 21 extending through the valve plate I! and suitablysecured thereto, as by means of a nut 21a. The exhaust valve or valvedisk I0 is retained on the upper side of the valve plate II by means ofthe bolt 21 and nut 21a.

In order to permit the compressed fluid to be exhausted during thecompression stroke,- I have provided a plurality of auxiliary operatingmembers or exciter arms I5 secured to the valve disk Ill in any suitablefashion as by welding, for example. Two exciter arms have beenillustrated. An exhaust nozzle -28 communicating with an exhaust port l3by means of auxiliary discharge passage I4 is associated with eachexciter arm or auxiliary operating member l5. Normally, the exciter armis urged into a position closing the exhaust nozzle 28 by means of aretaining spring I'la or other suitable means. As illustrated in Fig. 2,a spring arm has been illustrated, one end of which bears against theexciter arm IS, the other end of the spring being fastened to the valveplate through the agency of a spring retainer l1. Spring retainer [1also serves as a stop to limit the amount of valve travel, therebypreventing valve disk I!) from rotating beyond the open position (in theclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2). I have provided a pluralityof slots or openings II in the valve disk III which match with aplurality of exhaust ports or passages l3 in the valve plate II in theopen position of the exhaust valve Hi.

In order to utilize the velocity and pressure of exhaust chamber 22.

the compressed fluid for rotating the valve disk I0, I have 'provided avane I6 adjacent each slot or opening I2. These vanes I6 may beseparately formed and suitably secured to the valve disk III or they maybe punched out from the valve disk 10 thereby forming the slot l2 andthe vane IS in one operation. Vanes |6 extend over the openings I2 andare inclined at the proper angle for obtaining the greatest effect ofthe gas velocity and pressure.

The operation of this valve is as follows: Assuming that the valve diskI is in the closed position as shown in Fig. 2 during the intake strokeof the piston 20, the fluid to be compressed is drawn into the inletpassage 2| in the valve plate H from the inlet conduit 29 and passage29a in the wall of cylinder I8. On the compression. stroke of piston 20,as the fluid pressure builds up on the underside of the valve disk l0and exceeds the pressure above it, fluid discharges through the exhaustpassages I3, auxiliary discharge passages I4 and exciter exhaust ports28 against exciter arms l5 and initiates rotation of the valve disk I0against the bias of spring l'la. As the valve disk ||I rotates, theslots I2 in the valve disk I0 partially uncover the discharge portsl3'thereby permitting the compressed fluid to escape into the exhaustmanifold or chamber 22. The escaping'fluid is directed against the vanesI I6 and the velocity force resulting therefrom tends to rotate thevalve further until arms l5 contact stops I'I. When the fluid pressureson both sides the escape of the compressed fluid through exh'austconduit 39, and the decrease of pressure below the valve l0 followingcompletion of the exhaust stroke, the retaining spring I'Ia operates torotate the valve disk III in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed inFig. 2, thereby closing the 1 exhaust valve.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I have illustrated a modifica- The bolt 30 whichthreadingly engages a block 3| in Bolt 30 is provided with an axialpassage 38 communicating between cylindrical bore I9 of cylinder I8 anda chamber 32 in A piston or plunger 33 is reciprocally block 3|.arranged within the chamber 32 in block 3| and 3 is guided in itssliding movement by means of a 1 rod 34 attached to one end of thepiston 33 and passing through an arm 35. Arm 35 may be secured in anysuitable manner to block 3| or if preferred, arm 35 may be secured tothe valve plate The rod also extends through ex- I citer arm I5 which issuitably secured to valve 1 disk III. In the modification illustrated byFigs.

3 and 4, the exhaust valve or valve disk I0 is slidably related to valveplate instead of be- 1 ing rotatably supported as in the first-describedembodiment. arm 35 and exciter arm IS in order to bias the A spring 36is interposed between valve disk ID to the closed position. A collar 31Assuming that the valve I0 is in the closed position as shown in Figs. 3and 4, the operation of this modification of my invention is as follows:Compressed fluid from .within the cylinder passes through the passage 38in bolt 30 into chamber 32 and exerts pressure on piston 33. When this 5force is great enough to overcome the forces exerted by the pressure inthe exhaust chamber 22 and the spring 36, the exhaust valve I0 is movedto the right, as viewed in Fig. 3, to uncover portions of passages I3.Escaping fluid passes through exhaust ports I3 and is directed againstthe vanes Hi, the resulting force acting to completely open the valveIII. When the gas pressures in the cylinder bore l9 and exhaust manifold22 approach equalization, spring 36 assumes control of the valve disk l0and closes the exhaust valve.

With respect to the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the vanes I6may be eliminated by using a 'piston 33 which is large enough tocompletely open the valve. I

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention in connectionwith a valve assembly ior compressors or the like, I do not desire myinvention to be limited to the particular construction shown anddescribed and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modificationswithin the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

like, a valve plate having a main exhaust port therein through whichfluid to be discharged passes, a discharge valve disk movably supportedon said valve plate for closing said exhaust port, a vane on said valvedisk, and means for initiating opening of said valve including anauxiliary exhaust port in said valve plate, and an exciter armoperatively associated with said valve disk for controlling flow throughsaid auxiliary ex- 40 haust port, said means being arranged for. movingsaid valve to uncover a portion of said main exhaust port whereby thehigh velocity compressed fiuid is directed against said vane forcompleting the opening of said valve.

2. In a valve structure for compressors or the like a valve plate havinga main exhaust port therein through which fluid to be discharged passes,a discharge valve disk movably supported on said valve plate for closingsaid exhaust port, a vane on said valve disk, means for initiatingopening of said exhaust port including an auxiliary exhaust port in saidvalve plate, and an ex citer arm operatively associated with said valvedisk and said auxiliary exhaust port for moving said valve to uncover aportion of said main exhaust port whereby the high velocity compressedfluid is directed against said vane for completing the opening of saidvalve, and means for closing said valve when the flow of compressedfluid diminishes sufiiciently topermit substantial equalization ofpressure on the two sides of said valve plate.

3. In a valve structure for compressors or the like, a valve platehaving a main exhaust port therein through which fluid to be dischargedpasses, a discharge valve disk movably supported on said valve plate [orclosing said main exhaust port, a vane on said valve disk, meansincluding an auxiliary exhaust port in said valve plate,

and an exciter arm operatively associated with said valve disk and saidauxiliary exhaust port for moving said valve to uncover a portion ofsaid main exhaust port whereby the high velocity completing the openingof said valve, means to limit 1. In a valve structure for compressors orthe the movement of said valve and spring means acting on said exciterarm to close said auxiliary port and for causing said disk to close saidmain exhaust port when the force of the compressed fluid acting to opensaid valve is less than the force tending to close said valve.

4. In a valve assembly for compressors or the like, the combination of avalve plate having an exhaust passage therethrough, a valve diskrotatably supported on said valve plate for closing said exhaustpassage, an opening in said valve disk, a vane on said valve diskadjacent said opening and extending at least part way across saidopening, means including an exciter arm on said valve disk and anauxiliary exhaust passage in said valve plate for rotating said valvedisk to partially align said opening and said exhaust passage wherebythe compressed fluid is directed against said vane to complete thealignment of said opening and said exhaust passage, means to limit therotation of said valve and spring means supported on said valve plateand acting on said exciter arm for closing said discharge passage andsaid auxiliary discharge passage when the pressure of the compressedfluid acting to open said valve becomes less than the force tending toclose said valve.

5. In a valve assembly for compressors or the like, the combination of avalve plate having an exhaust passage therethrough a valve disk slidablysupported on said valve plate for closin said exhaust passage, anopening in said disk, 2. vane on said valve disk, said vane beingadjacent said opening and extending at least part way across saidopening, means for sliding said valve disk to partially uncover saidexhaust passage whereby the compressed fluid to be discharged ispermitted to react against said vane to open said valve, said meansincluding a hollow block secured to said valve plate, a passage throughthe valve plate communicating with the hollow portion of said block, aplunger adapted to reciprocate in said hollow portion of said block, anda connection between said plunger and said valve disk, and spring meansacting on a portion of said connection for closing said exhaust port.

6. A valve structure for compressors or the like comprising a bodyhaving a main port therethrough, a valve for closing said main port, amain operating member operatively associated with said valve, and meansfor initiating the opening of said valve including an auxiliary portthrough said body and an auxiliary operating member operativelyassociated with said valve and. controlling fluid flow through saidauxiliary port, said means being arranged for moving said valve touncover a portion of said main port whereupon the compressed fluid isdirected against said main operating member for completing the openingof said valve.

ELWOOD M. STAN BERY.

